Oregano Essential Oil
Origanum vulgare
Description
Oregano Essential Oil is a very powerful essential oil and must be used with great care. Be sure to read the safety information provided below.
Oregano Essential Oil Benefits and Uses
- Antibacterial
- Antifungal
- Antiviral
- Expectorant
- Stimulant
Source: Valerie Ann Worwood, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, 25th Anniversary Edition (Novato, CA: New World Library, 2016, 610.
Botanical Name
Plant Family
Common Method of Extraction
Steam Distilled
Plant Part Typically Used
Color
Pale Yellow
Consistency
Thin
Perfumery Note
Medium
Strength of Initial Aroma
Strong
Aromatic Description
Oregano Essential Oil smells herbaceous and sharp.
Major Constituents for Turkish Oregano Oil
- Carvacrol
- p-Cymene
- Gamma-Terpinene
- Thymol
- Linalool
See Essential Oil Safety for more complete list of typical constituents.
Source: K.H.C. Baser, T. Oztek, G. Tumen, et al. Composition of the Essential Oils of Turkish Origanum Species with Commercial Importance. (Journal of Essential Oil Research 5, 1993), 619-623. Source cited in Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 375-376.
Oregano Essential Oil Safety Information
Tisserand and Young warn that Oregano Essential Oil is contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding. They indicate that when using Oregano Oil, there is moderate risk for mucous membrane irritation, it may inhibit blood clotting and pose a drug interaction hazard. It may cause embryotoxicity. There is a moderate risk of skin sensitization, and Tisserand and Young recommend a dermal maximum of 1.1%. They advise not to use topically on children age 2 or younger or for those with hypersensitive/diseased/damaged skin. Reading Tisserand and Young's full profile is recommended. [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 376.]
This essential oil poses a higher risk of causing irritation and sensitization when used in the bath. Avoid using it in the bath, even if it is solubilized/diluted.
Oregano CO2 Supercritical Select Extract
In addition to being available as an essential oil, this botanical is available from a small number of reputable sources as a CO2 extract. CO2 extracts offer many advantages. However, they can have differing safety precautions than essential oils because the natural chemistry of CO2 extracts can differ from their essential oil counterparts. Not much safety information is documented from trusted sources for CO2 extracts. Use CO2 extracts with great care and do not assume that every CO2 extract has the same safety precautions as its essential oil counterpart.
General Safety Information
Do not take any oils internally and do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin without advanced essential oil knowledge or consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. For general dilution information, read AromaWeb's Guide to Diluting Essential Oils. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and be sure to first read the recommended dilution ratios for children. Consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children, the elderly, if you have medical issues or are taking medications. Before using this or any essential oil, carefully read AromaWeb's Essential Oil Safety Information page. For in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young.
Shelf Life
Important Information About the Profiles
The essential oil information provided on AromaWeb is intended for basic educational purposes only. The references to safety information, test results, constituents and percentages is generalized information. Essential oils can vary greatly in composition. The data is not necessary complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate. The essential oil photos are intended to represent the typical and approximate color of each essential oil. However, essential oil composition and color can vary based on harvesting, distillation, age of the essential oil and other factors. Profiles for several CO2 Extracts and absolutes are included within the directory, and are denoted as such.
